Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) filed a complaint this morning (10) at the Commission to Investigation Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) against Housing Minister Sajith Premadasa and seven other Cabinet Ministers who failed to submit their Declarations of Assets and Liabilities for the year 2018/19.

Cabinet Ministers are required to submit their declarations to the Presidential Secretariat under section 4(a)( II) of the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law.

Addressing journalists after filing the complaint, TISL Executive Director Asoka Obeyesekere said that although the deadline to submit the asset declaration is 30 June, the eight Ministers have failed to do so even as of the 20 August.

“Using the Right to Information Act (RTI), we have requested from the Presidential Secretariat for the list of Minsters that have filed their asset declaration as of 30 June which is the date on which they must file their asset declaration by. We have been informed that not only by 30 June but also thereafter by 20 August, eight Cabinet Ministers have still not filed their asset declaration,” Obeysekerere said.

He noted that in contrast to them, another 10 parliamentarians have unilaterally made their asset declaration public.

Obeysekere further said that TISL requests the CIABOC to investigate the complaint and take necessary action in this regard.

“TISL has also requested the same information from the Presidential Secretariat and the Office of the Speaker, to identify Non-Cabinet, State and Deputy Ministers and MPs who have not submitted their asset declarations, and we will take appropriate action when such information is received,” Obeysekere added.